March already! Another year is whizzing by! Let's hope that by the time you read this that the weather is mild and spring-like but just at the moment it's blooming chilly. Still we were warm and comfy in the People's Hall committee room for our meeting and were cheered by a beautiful bowl of golden daffy-down-dillies on the table.
  The routine business of the meeting was swiftly dealt with. Apologies, minutes and reports were read, plans were made for outside meetings to be enjoyed later, March birthday persons were wished well (note the political correctness here!), and a new visitor, Edith Robinson, given a warm welcome.  Then it was back to the vexed question of the proposed imposition of a National W.I. magazine which we discussed last month. Incidentally the proposed increase in subscriptions is from £22 to £26, not £27 as I said previously. However our President wanted to be quite sure that we still object as strongly as ever, so that she can present our views fairly at the forthcoming meeting of the Cumbria-Westmorland Federation of W.I.'s. In fact so strongly do we feel that it has been suggested that we may decide to leave the W.I. and paddle our own canoe. The advantages of remaining within the organisation were presented clearly to the meeting but nevertheless Shirley was asked to tell the Federation of the lines along which we are thinking. That meeting took place the following day but what difference it will make we do not know. So intense were our deliberations that our speaker had to wait an extra quarter of an hour!
  We were delighted to welcome Alan Lewis as our speaker. He had brought a selection of brass instruments along with him - visual aids - or perhaps audio aids!  Alan first outlined the history and development of the instruments and then went on to show how they produced their sounds. Finally he demonstrated the differences between them and let us have a go. Believe me, it's not as easy as the experts make it look! We have very great admiration for the members of our Town Band who have started from scratch and, of course, for those who have taught them. If you have ever wondered what is the difference between a brass trumpet and a silver one, well let me tell you. The silver trumpet makes a more mellow sound. (I don't want to keep all my newfound knowledge to myself!) Our thanks also to Stuart Shields who came along to help Alan keep us in order. He brought along a couple of euphoniums (or euphonia), costing about £6000 each.
  So busy was our meeting that we didn't have time for our usual raffle. Our competition for a brass ornament was won by Barbara Kooper with a lovely, decorated spoon from Switzerland. The consolation for the rest of us was that it made us polish our brasses! Perhaps we should follow the example of the musicians and have them lacquered. Incidentally, as the lacquer wears off the instrument, the tone changes.
  On March 17^th, several of us enjoyed an audio-visual presentation 'Lakeland Alphabet Hosted by Cliburn W.I. in the north of the county. Maurice Steele of Eskdale cleverly combines two projectors and a soundtrack to give a most relaxing show of our wonderful countryside. It made me feel like getting my walking boots on again!
  Next month, - Eileen Belshaw will address us on the topic, "It shouldn't happen to a nurse". Come and join us at the People's hall at 2-00pm on Tuesday April 11^th.                                                                                                                                                                                                        W.F.U.

CP4P at Settlebeck
  Year 8 are in the enviable position of being able to work with a team of professional film makers to create their own short experimental film based on Genetics.  This will involve planning, scripting, filming and then editing their work.  We are very grateful to Creative Partnerships Cumbria for supporting this exciting project which is due to be completed in June.
Royal Society of Chemistry Research Grant
  Following the very successful completion of last year's research project - one of only 3 schools in the UK which received funding from the Royal Society of Chemistry - we have again been supported by the RSC to undertake an investigation into what contaminants can be found in local streams and rivers at different times of the year.  We hope that last year's enthusiastic researchers will form the nucleus of the new research and that other keen scientists will join them too.

  A meeting of the society was held in Dent Memorial Hall on Wednesday 1^st March and it attracted a large audience.  The first item of the evening was a showing of a film made in 1985 called "Adam in Paradise".  David Boulton at that time was running Granada Television's current affairs and regional programmes and he commissioned the film and was the presenter on it.  The Adam referred to was Adam Sedgwick and the Paradise was Dentdale.  In the film David outlined the history of the dale, in particular its opposition to tithes over the centuries.  He then went on to meet some of the characters in the dale in 1985.  Some of the views on the history would need to be revised in the light of recent research but the film provided an interesting record of the dale and its inhabitants two decades ago.  Unfortunately David was unable to be present but sent a letter giving details about the film and we are very grateful to him for lending the copy to the society for the meeting.
  The film's mention of the importance of knitting to the history of Dent provided an excellent introduction to a showing of "The Terrible Knitters of Dent" starring Betty Hartley, Elizabeth Middleton and pupils from Dent School.  This delightful film explained how the knitting was done and the clothes and equipment used by the knitters.  The trade was an economic necessity for survival due to the decline of farming in the dale.  Copies of the video are available in various places in Dent and it is well worth buying as it provides an excellent record of a past way of life. Richard Cann

YDNP group at Settlebeck
  A group of our year 10 students have been working with Paul Wilkinson our Yorkshire Dales National Park Rangers to improve our local environment. 
  The group supported Paul on work to tidy areas of Queen's Gardens and most recently they have made a very significant impact on the Old Vicarage Lane behind Sedbergh Primary School, where they have been creating a new fence and clearing the embankment.  The intention is to use the embankment as a project to develop new habitats for wildlife.
Settlebeck High School in the League Tables again
  Some of you may have seen the league tables for students' achievements in schools in 2005 in the national press.  If you didn't here are the basic facts about your local school.
  76% of Settlebeck students achieved at least 5 A* - C grades which was the third highest result out of the 41 Cumbrian comprehensive schools (the highest was Keswick School with 78%).  The Cumbrian and National averages were both 57.1%.
  100% of Settlebeck students achieved at least 1 GCSE pass.  The England average is 97.4%.  The Cumbrian average is 96.4%.
  Our average point score was 413 which was the seventh highest in Cumbria.
  95% of Settlebeck students achieved at least 5 A* - G grades.  The Cumbrian average is 56.8% and National average is 56.3%.

  My name is Amy, I am a second year medical student at Newcastle University and a former student at Settlebeck High School.
  This summer I am looking forward to spending 8 weeks in Swaziland, teaching primary school children English and running HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, with a charity called Tenteleni.  There are a number of projects run every summer in various African countries.  As an individual, I would like to believe that I could have a big impact on a small community, influencing children's lives.  I have been involved with the Newcastle University Stop AIDS society, raising money for various HIV/AIDS charities and increasing awareness in the local area.  I have really enjoyed being involved with the society but the project in the summer with give me the chance to use my enthusiasm and the skills I have been lucky enough to gain in England, offering the children new opportunities and an input of energy from a young university student. 
  Along with some of the other volunteers I am planning to cycle the coast to coast route at Easter, from Newcastle to Whitehaven.  We also have a number of other fundraising events planned in Newcastle.  If you would like to sponsor me or have any fundraising ideas, it would be greatly appreciated.  I am hoping to raise about £1000 for my forthcoming trip.  If you would like any more information concerning the charity or myself please contact me on 07841653090 or e-mail: A.J.Symonds@ncl.ac.uk.                                                                                                         Amy Symonds